SweetAlmond

Tartelettes

2011-02-26T15:42:00.004-05:00

The month of February was a very tough one because the whole family got sick, one after another. The thing is, as long as the mother is ok, things are under control. BUT, once she is not feeling well, that's where the trouble starts: who will take care of the still sick husband and the kids? Who cleans, cooks, drive kids (once up and running!) to school and their various activities? who does the groceries?? Sure friends help and I do thank each one of them, but it is always hard to go through a phase like this, especially when you, the "head of the house" need a helping hand, a cup of water or warm tea brought to you while you are stuck in bed not able to move!

Not a lot of baking happened lately neither. Once I started to feel better, I made these tarts to share with some friends. I was happy they enjoyed them. My friend K's 6 year old son liked them, which surprised me. I say so, because he is a very picky eater, and that he liked the Lemon Meringue tart, or the Almond strawberry tart was a bit surprising to me. He sure knows to eat!

These tarts share the same dough and the same cream as a base (except for the Almond ones). Make the dough a couple of hours in advance. The pastry cream could be made up to 2 days in advance, and the lemon cream should be made ahead and left to rest in the fridge for a couple hours. The almond cream could be made in advance too. It keeps well in the fridge for 2 days.

Almond Strawberry, Lemon Meringue and Almond Tartelettes

Dough (Pate Brisee)

250g All purpose flour
125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
40g ground blanched almonds
1 egg
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter and rub between your hands until crumbly. Add the egg and work the dough quickly and as little as possible until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or put it in a zyploc bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Pastry Cream (makes about 2 cups)

1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
40g granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 heaping cup milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1- In a saucepan, combine the egg, egg yolks, sugar, corn starch and flour. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is lump free.
2- Heat the milk and slowly add it to the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
3- Slowly, cook the custard over medium low heat, while whisking non stop.
4- Once the custard starts bubbling remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
5- Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool completely.

Lemon Cream

1 cup pastry cream
zest of half a lemon
Juice of 1 lemon (or more depending on how sour you want the cream to be)
4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter

In a blender, combine the pastry cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse for 10 seconds. With the machine running add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Blend until creamy.
The cream will look runny, but after resting a few hours in the fridge it will have the perfect consistency.

Almond Cream

125g ground blanched almonds
100g granulated sugar
125g unsalted butter, room temperature
2 medium eggs
3 Tablespoons flour

In a food processor, combine the almonds, sugar and butter. Pulse until well combined. Add the eggs and pulse for 10 more seconds. Add the flour and pulse again 10 more seconds. The cream is ready to be used right away or can keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The Tarts

Strawberry Almond

1 recipe Pate brisee
1 1/2 cups pastry cream
1 cup almond cream
1 Tablespoon soft butter
Strawberries

1- Preheat the oven to 375F.
2- On a floured surface or between 2 sheets of wax paper, roll out the dough to 1/4 in thickness. Cut out circles and transfer them to your tart molds.
3- Fill each tart shell with 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond cream.
4- bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let the tarts cool.
5- Combine the soft butter and the pastry cream and mix until well combined. Fill each tart with some of the pasty cream and decorate with strawberries.

Lemon Meringue

1 recipe Pate brisee
2 cups lemon cream
2 egg whites
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1- Bake the tart shells in a 375F preheated oven. Let cool.
2- Fill each baked tart shell with lemon cream
3- Make the meringue: beat the egg white with a pinch of salt and few drops of lemon juice to stiff peaks.
Add the sugar a tablespoons at time while mixing. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy. Decorate each tart shell with the meringue (either use a pastry bag or just a spoon). Preheat the oven to 350F.
4- Bake the tarts for 5 to 8 minutes or until the meringue has a light golden color.

Almond Tarts

1 recipe Pate brisee
1 1/2 cups almond cream
sliced almonds

1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the tart shells
2- Fill each tart with almond cream (do not exceed 3/4 of the tart's height)
3- sprinkle the top of each tart with sliced almonds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy and have a nice weekend!

Sweet Destination: Algeria

2010-12-20T12:03:00.007-05:00

Have you ever wondered why I named this blog, my flickr nickname and even my small, "never taken seriously" home business, SweetAlmond? It all started a few years ago, when I decided to start a small business from home: selling cookies and baked goods. My husband helped me build a website, then it was time to choose a name for that website/business. Since I was concentrating on selling Algerian specialties, Almonds were the first thing that hit my mind. Almonds are the base for most of our sweets. Sweets, Almonds......SWEETALMOND! There it is!

Algerian sweets are very elegant and tasty. They are sweet and nutty. A blend of wonderful flavorings: nuts, vanilla, lemon zest, orange blossom water or rose water. Some are dipped in honey syrup, others beautifully iced and decorated with almond paste flowers. There are so many varieties. New amazing designs, stunning colors and delicate decorations keep popping out. Every time I visit Algeria, I feel so "yesterday" when it comes to these delicacies.

Today's recipe is called "Mkhabez", which translates to "breaded". I know it sounds funny and has nothing to do with sweets. I have no idea where this cookie got its name from, and why such a weird name! Actually, most of our cookies have bizarre names, and even some savory dishes do: "drunk and falling in the stairs", "the judge and his team", and many more interesting ones, let's just leave this discussion for another post!
Back to the recipe. This cookie is very simple: just mix nuts, sugar and the flavor of your choice. Shape, bake for 10 minutes, and voila! All that is left is making the egg white icing and ice the cookies.
You can use any kind of nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans or even pistachios. You can also add lemon zest (especially with the almonds) or any flavoring of your choice.

Mkhabez (Pecan Cookies)

300 g pecans (or any other type of nuts)
80 g granulated sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Let the nuts cool for 5 minutes.
2- Reduce the oven temperature to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3-In a food processor, combine the pecans and sugar and pulse until finely ground.
4- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and add the vanilla and salt.
5- Start adding the beaten egg little by little until you form a dough. It shouldn't be sticky. If you feel that that dough is a bit dry, add more beaten egg, 1 tsp a time. Do this step slowly because this dough will quickly turn wet and sticky and this would make shaping the cookies hard, and even affect the final result.
6- Roll out the dough on a very lightly floured surface to about 1 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter (any shape would be fine). Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the cookies to cool before icing.

Icing

1 egg white
1 to 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vegetable oil

Lightly whisk the egg white. Start adding the sugar little by little until you reach a white shiny icing. The icing should not be too runny nor too stiff. Add the vanilla, lemons juice and oil. You can add food coloring at this point if you would like.
Dip each cookie, one by one, in the icing and arrange them on a cookie rack (with a pan underneath it) to let the excess icing drip. Decorate with pecan halves or almond paste flours.

Happy to be here!

2010-12-07T19:25:00.005-05:00

How are you dear readers and followers? I am very happy to come back! what happened you may wonder? let's just say some health related issues kept me away. Nothing to worry about, just going through some changes :)
I definitely missed blogging, baking and photography. I Missed all of you, fellow friends. To everyone who follows my blog and always waits for new recipes and pictures, I say sorry for being absent for so long. I am sure all of us go through stages where we find ourselves unable to surmount life's demands, and I am sure you would forgive my brief disappearance.

Although I have been inactive lately, I was following amazing works from different flickrer/ bloggers. I got the ispiration for these cupcakes from the amazing Aran of Cannelle Et Vanille. I had mascarpone, wanted to have Tiramisu but since it takes some time to make I thought about making something quicker, cupcakes! I made few changes to the recipe in order make it more "tiramisu-ish", I added some coffee to the batter. I also made a mascarpone cream icing flavored with vanilla and coffee instead of the whipped ganache. The icing turned amazingly light and tasty....
I hope you try this recipe and I also hope everyone is enjoying this time of the year and the coming holidays!

Tiramisu Cupcakes (adapted from Cannelle Et Vanille)

Cupcakes (makes 11 to 12 cupcakes)

1 stick of butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp espresso powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.
2- Combine the chocolate and the coffee. Melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.
3- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and the sugars. Whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Mix in the melted chocolate.
4-Add the vanilla and half the buttermilk. Add the flour and baking soda then the remaining buttermilk.
5- Divide the batter between the liners and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Mascarpone Cream

300 g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
150 ml heavy cream, chilled
80 g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 tsp coffee extract

Whip the heavy cream and sugar until soft pick. Add the mascarpone and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and coffee extract.

Pipe icing on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with shaved chocolate. enjoy!

A Marbled Cake and my exciting Summer

2010-08-03T16:17:00.011-04:00

Finally, settled in our new house. It was one long moving, the 8th in 10 years and not the last one for sure. This summer was very hectic, restless and hot! I think I already mentioned that I am not crazy about Atlanta's weather and Summer is no exception, very warm and humid,which is not my favorite combination. Trips to the swimming pool were our main destination and baking was set aside for some time. Because of the heat? yes, but not only that. The moving and the temporary instability that comes along with played a big part in my hibernation.

Back to my new kitchen and my "cher companion": the oven, I started with my ultimate weakness, the chocolate cake. I just realized I didn't post the recipe on my blog, how can that be??!! I've made this cake a thousand times, posted different pictures on flickr to the point where I felt kind of embarrassed to post anymore chocolate cake photos. I will have to post that recipe.

I also made cherry pistachio clafoutis, fruit tartelettes, a decadent chocolate mousse cake. I also made strawberry sorbet, ice creams and last but not least, one of my favorite: marbled cake. I have been looking for the best recipe for that one for some time. tried many: the dry, the dense, the tasteless...until I found the perfect one. I found it in a cookbook I bought while waiting for checkout at a department store. I initially bought this book for 3 reasons: first, it was very cheap and I liked the the cover (it was pink, my favorite color). Second, I don't like waiting in lines and needed something to keep myself busy, and third because I liked the pictures of the book. It is a tiny book with no author name, called "Baking". Ridiculously simple, but let me tell you, the recipes are very good, even impressive. Isn't it amazing when sometimes things exceed your expectations? I love that feeling.
I'll try to post some of the other recipes, meanwhile try to make this cake and have it with a cup of coffee or tea, a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries, or with vanilla crème anglaise, you'll love it! Enjoy your summer everyone!

Marbled Cake

10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
6 tbsp sour cream
2 cups self rising flour*, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp milk
2 tbsp heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper as well.

Place the chocolate, milk, and heavy cream in a heat proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently until melted.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream. Gently fold in the sifted flour.

Take out a third of the batter and add the melted chocolate to it. Add the vanilla to the white batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan alternating between chocolate and vanilla.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes then unmold. You can glaze the cake with a ganache if you like.

*If you do not have self-rising flour, use the following for one cup of self rising flour:

1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt

Brownies to welcome Spring

2010-03-19T19:26:00.119-04:00

As Spring approaches, I feel happiness and excitement. I love the sunshine during this time of the year, not very hot, just the right amount of heat you need to feel good and enjoy the joyful weather. Spring puts a smile on my face. For me, it is the most wonderful time of the year!

Although for me brownies rhyme with winter, comfort food...etc and despite the weather these days that says "winter is over", I wanted brownies! I haven't made them for some time, and I guess I missed their chocolaty goodness.

I made and ate my first brownie when I came to the US, ten years ago. Of course I heard about them before, but due to French cooking influence, brownies have never been on my to do list. In some of my French cookbooks, brownies are found under the title: "The American Specialty" and somehow, I always felt it was too adventurous to try them, plus it always calls for a lot of chocolate! Now, I am glad I made this sweet discovery. It is for sure a part of my repertoire.

Brownies

I just want to mention that I made half the recipe in my 8 by 8 cake pan, that's why my brownies are kind of flat. But it worked fine for me because they were lighter (not calorie wise though!)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

300 g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp instant coffee

pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1- Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8 by 8 square cake pan. line with foil and set aside.

2- Combine the chocolate, butter and instant coffee and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.

3- Whisk the eggs and the sugars until well combined. Add the vanilla extract. Whisk in the melted chocolate.

5- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the nuts if using.

6- Put the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Make a wish...

2010-03-03T20:36:00.050-05:00

This post is a bit different because it has no recipe. I am indeed using this post as a detox, a confession, something that I want to talk about and found nobody to listen but that screen and typing board and of course you! It started when I was looking at some food blogs that I always liked and admired and still do. The kind of sites full of amazing pictures, stories and wonderful recipes. They catch your eyes with their beautifully captured and meticulously arranged images. The blogger tells Beautiful stories that are simple yet they keep you stuck to the screen until the end. Some of the amazing ones get even the privilege to be nominated for different awards, like the one organized by Saveur Magazine lately. I so envy everyone who is nominated and wish them the best of luck because some of these blogs are just gorgeous, and deserve the best awards!

when I started this blog, I wanted to create something sophisticated, original and most importantly, I wanted to establish a reference. what I ended up with?? just "a blog". My heart aches every time I think about it. I am around here once every one or two months. I am a perfectionist, and due to lack of time and never ending family demands, I find my self very limited and having only two choices : either do nothing, or just do whatever! snap a pic before one of the kids wants his afternoon snack, or needs help with homework, then the husband asks about lunch or dinner while your head is thinking about that mousse cake topped with a glossy fruit jelly,a chocolate decoration using the transfer sheet I was so excited to buy from Sur La Table (my heaven!) and never got the chance to use yet, and wait the cake should stay in the fridge overnight......ahh!! will I have time tomorrow to...even remember the existence of that cake?!!

At the end I have to say that because of you, followers, that this blog is surviving. It is through your sweet comments and encouragement that I get the strength to come back and post again, even once in a trimester. I want to tell everyone who appreciates my very little work, Thank you!!!.I, on my side, still have hope to make this blog a perfect one......one day :)

A New Year

2010-01-01T21:39:00.014-05:00

Well well, I just checked that my last post was on June!! sorry blog followers, I hope you didn't lose complete hope in me. Life has been crazy around here and I have been super lazy too, I must confess. So, new year, new hopes, new resolutions (I don't believe in that resolution thing, though), more blog posting, less baking because my husband wants to lose some weight, less stress (hopefully), more time to take care of my self.........just a tiny bit more, and most importantly: good health and happiness. I believe that happiness comes when we feel satisfied with whatever God blesses us with, and always be thankful. 2009 was a "OK" year for me, ups and downs but I am thankful for everything that had happened that past year. I am thankful that my family is healthy. Thankful for being around my kids, seeing them growing and happy. Thankful for everything, good and not so good.

I am also very happy to get my first photobook. I was so excited when I saw it. An entire book made out of.....my pastry creations!!! Not be confused : THIS IS NOT A COOKBOOK, it is a photo album put in a form of a book. I just love it! It has my personal favorites, and people's favorites too. Who knows, may be next year at this time I would be writing about my cookbook! what do you think, would you be interested in a SweetAlmond cookbook? would you buy it? (honest question I know). No seriously, If I write a cookbook it would be done with love, a passion put into words and pictures that go straight to people's hearts, eyes and tummies of course. Whenever they open my book, I want people to feel the urge to bake, and be super happy with the result: look and taste wise, nothing else would matter....truly!

I started this year with one of my absolute favorite desserts: Tiramisu. I did not make it as a special dessert for the New Year, we actually don't do anything special on that day. I just had mascarpone cheese for couple days in the fridge and some "free time". I also had this idea of making Tiramisu in chocolate cups for some time in my mind. Plus, I have those printed "SweetAlmond" ribbons which have been waiting for so long to be wrapped around something!! The problem is that I can't stick them everywhere otherwise my photo stream will all look the same!!
This is my favorite recipe, made it over and over and never been disappointed. It is not too sweet, which I like. You can assemble this dessert in one big dish or what I personally prefer, make it as individual servings. In this particular one I built cups out of chocolate and followed the same assembling process. As you know, Tiramisu is best eaten the next day, but a few hours in the fridge would be enough if you can't wait.

16 oz Mascarpone cheese, room temperature.
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee, cooled.
Lady fingers
cocoa powder and shaved chocolate for garnish

Preparation

1- Combine the egg yolks, sugar and water and cook over a double boiler whisking continuously (you can either use a whisk or a hand held mixer) until thick and light in color. This may take from 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2- In another bowl whisk the cheese to soften its consistency. Add the cooled egg mixture and whisk until well combined.

3- Whip the heavy cream to soft peak and gently fold it into the cheese mixture.

4- Start buliding the Tiramisu: dip the lady fingers in the coffee on both sides. Be careful not to dip them for too long otherwise they'll be too soggy. Start arranging a layer of ladyfingers then cheese mixture and so on. The last layer should be cheese. Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and /or chocolate shavings and refregirate for a minimum of 3 hours.

Do not forget these important points:

1- bring your mascarpone cheese to room temperature before using.
2- After cooking the egg yolks let them cool down slightly before you add them to the cheese.
3- Do not use HOT coffee to dip the lady fingers in and do not dip them for too long.
4- You have to wait atleast 3 hours before consuming the Tiramisu.
5- Eat with moderation.

and I promise you'll have the best Tiramisu you've ever tasted, guaranteed.

Bringing back memories

2009-06-29T06:22:00.008-04:00

"Mom, how come you don't have a whisk?? where is that cake pan I used to bake all my chocolate cakes in?? your oven is weird!!!" this is what you would hear me say when I am in my mom's kitchen. Even though I've spent most of my time ( when I was single of course!) in this kitchen, I feel like a complete stranger who just came into a new place and keep asking for things here and there. Unfortunately, I don't have the privilege to visit my parents that often........

I used to spend hours in the kitchen, baking obviously. I used to love it, love every little corner in it. For me, it was the best equipped kitchen: I had my Philips mixer which I used to adore, my pans, my so few tools, my cookbooks, the good and the not so good! Oh and the marble counter top which I think is the only "luxury" I am missing. Now, I can see that a LOT is missing in this kitchen, especially when it comes to baking, but still when I think about all the cakes, cookies, and many other desserts I created there, I truly believe that it doesn't really matter how fancy your kitchen is. It is true that having the right equipment helps, but if the passion is there, you can create amazing things with pretty much......nothing.

The first time I made these cookies I was so excited, yet scared to mess them up. Everytime I do mess up my mom would not be happy.....not at all sometimes! The part I was mostly scared of was the meringue. What if it doesn't come out right? what if the cookie burns and the meringue comes out soggy?? Fortunately, they came out perfect: a melt in your mouth biscuit sablé, a crunchy meringue and that addition of sweet apricot jam, a lovely and tasty combination. These cookies are simple, light and elegant, just perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Meringue & Jam Cookies

Biscuits sablés

600g all purpose flour (about 5 1/2 cups)
330 g ( approximately 3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
80 g powderd sugar (3/4 cup)
3 to 4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Vanilla Meringue

2 egg whites, preferably room temperature. First, separate the eggs while they are cold because it's easier, then keep the whites aside.
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Apricot jam or any other jam you prefer.

Preparation

Make the biscuits sablés: sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub the mixture until crumbly. Add the vanilla and the yolks one by one until you form a dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 320 f. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 in thickness (the cookies will be snadwiched so don't cut them too thick) . Cut out the cookies, preferably using a flower shape cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie pan and refrigerate. Since the cookies are rich in butter content, the refrigeration process helps keep their shape while they bake.

Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peak. Add the sugars gradually until the meringue is shiny. it shouldn't feel runny. Add the vanilla. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with the meringue and set aside.

Remove the pan from the fridge and using the pastry bag, put dollops of the meringue all around each cookie. Bake the cookies until the meringue is set: shiny and crunchy. If you notice that the meringue is starting to brown, reduce the temperature to 300 f. The cookies should have a very tender, melt in your mouth lower layer and a crunchy meringue on top. Once cooled, fill each cookie with the jam of your choice. I personally prefer the apricot one because of its mild flavor.

A daring challenge!

2009-04-29T23:55:00.013-04:00

I can't believe I made it through this challenge...........again. Why? it's because my computer caught a very bad virus, didn't use it for many days, after it was fixed I lost my bookmarks in which I have the link to the daring bakers' secret kitchen. I frankly didn't bother and send an e-mail to request another password, that's because I did that before and was too embarrassed to ask for the code......again! I could not figure out what was the challenge until the daring bakers started posting their pictures.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

Fortunately, it was an easy challenge. I find cheesecakes pretty easy to make, like most American desserts, I think. The cheesecake came out smooth and fluffy. I made half of the recipe into chocolate by adding some melted chocolate to the batter. I also used less sugar (3/4 of a cup instead of 1 cup) and used Oreo cookies for the crust.
I wish I had more time to play with this challenge instead of making a "regular" looking cheesecake.I like to always improvise in this challenge, both in the look of the final dessert and the picture. Lately, I am just taking my camera and "point & shoot" I don't have enough time to take a nice picture. I am not happy with these pictures but had to post for that daring bakers. Short visit and short post I know, let's just hope for more free time to bake and blog and as usual I hope you'll try the recipe....it's a good one.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

crust

2 cups / 180 g Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cheesecake

3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature
3/4 cup / 150 g sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream
1 vanilla bean

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream and vanilla.
4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Busy Times

2009-04-10T21:36:00.004-04:00

During times of extreme busy-ness, I do miss baking........a lot. It is my comfort, it allows me to forget and play with my creativity. I feel such a joy when I am mixing, kneading, cracking eggs and smelling the aromas of vanilla bean, citrus, even the smell of fresh yeast!
They say diamonds are a girl's best friend?!! I have never been attracted to diamonds, fancy jewelry or even wished to own them. My kind of jewelry you would ask?? mixers, food processors, pans and different pastry tools, COOKBOOKS!

I always wonder why I have never pursued a pastry career. I always knew deep inside of me that this is what I want, this is my passion and I would never be bored working in that field. Instead, I didn't want to disappoint my parents and of course had to follow the "standards". So instead, I ended up studying Economics (something that I've never been excited about): statistics, macro economics, micro economics, political economics, probabilities...........the only thing about economy that would attract me was the availability of eggs, sugar, flour, not to forget the vanilla, extremely important for the economy!!

Past is past, right? everything was/is there for a reason and there is nothing wrong with dreaming. As long as our economy can provide us with the eggs, butter, sugar and the vanilla................bean, then I am more than fine.
This post has no recipe. I did everything in such a hurry: cake and pictures. I just made a simple chocolate cake for the base and a raspberry mousse. Let the mousse firm up in the fridge for couple hours. Then covered it with tempered dark chocolate and a ganache on top. I love mousse cakes, so don't worry whenever I am done with this busy phase and have free time, I'll remake the recipe, write it down precisely and post it. Meanwhile, try to be happy with what you have, and take care of your dream (s).

Have a sweet safe trip..

2009-03-04T19:14:00.013-05:00

These muffins were made during moments of emptiness and feeling of loneliness and although I am not a muffin type of person, these were delicious and irresistible and they did make me feel a bit better.......why sad? well, nothing bad happened, it's just that my husband is away for 2 to 3 weeks and I'm feeling a little down. So, I made him these muffins in case the flight meal comes out "horrible". Not that muffins will replace a real meal but I wish he'll find comfort (like I did) when he eats them. A little taste of home while he is away!

We used to get almond muffins from a Farmer's Market and I always liked them. I was hoping one day I could discover their secret recipe and I think I did! The result has the perfect balance of everything: sweetness, softness and flavors. Although the almond part is only on the topping, these muffins taste almondy enough with the tiny bit of extract that I added. Next time I'll try to put ground almonds in the batter and if it works fine I'll add the appropriate changes to the recipe. Meanwhile, I hope you'll try these deliciously easy muffins.....you never know they may bring some comfort in those moments!

Almond Crunch Muffins (for 11 muffins)

150 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
2 large eggs.
100 g brown sugar (I used dark one).
30 g granulated sugar.
80 ml whole milk.
80 ml buttermilk.
50 g cake flour.
200 g all purpose flour.
2/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 tsp baking soda.
1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1/4 tsp almond extract.
1/8 tsp salt.

Almond Topping

1/3 cup sliced almonds ( I use sliced for their fine texture)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preparation

1- Preheat your oven to 375 f. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups. Set aside.

2- Make the topping: in a food processor, mix all the ingredients and pulse until crumbly. You should still see small pieces of almonds, do not grind the mixture too finely.

3- Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the ground almonds and set aside.

4- Beat the eggs and the sugars until fluffy. Add the milk, buttermilk and melted butter. Beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and the almond extract.

5- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Do not over mix.

6- Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter between the muffin cups. Spread about a tablespoon of topping on each muffin and bake for 20 to 25 minute or until golden brown.

As mentioned before, I said I'll try to add almonds to the recipe. It worked wonderfully and added more almond flavor. So I made the appropriate changes to the recipe

Sweet........

2009-03-01T16:48:00.007-05:00

Here I am, after a whole month of absence! I didn't realize that I did not post anything since the last daring bakers challenge. These days, I don't even realize how time goes by. I never thought once the kids start school I'll have more work, that my life will get more stressed out and that the dream of having more rest and free time........ was indeed a true dream!
I don't know why I always do the same mistake by leaving the challenge to the last minute "sure I have more time, why hurry!" then life just makes it harder on that "particular" day. I also don't even think about how am I going to improvise and play with the recipe. I do it all on the same day and that's a lot of thinking and working!

This month's challenge was obvious. It is February, and what is February without that sweet thing called "chocolate". The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. They have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

The cake is flourless, very rich, dense and chocolaty, really chocolaty! If you like that type of cakes then you definitely will love this one. The addition of berries balances the richness of the cake. I personally love to serve berries with this kind of cakes (chocolate and raspberries/strawberries is one of my favorite combo), or may be it's just an excuse to add these tiny little red fruits everywhere!

Chocolate Valentino

454 g (16oz) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped.
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
5 large eggs separated.

Preparation

1.Preheat your oven to 375f. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter a 9 in pan and line it with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full.Bake for 25 to 30 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out slightly wet.

9. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

300 ml heavy cream.
300 ml low fat milk (I used 2%).
1 vanilla pod.
4 large egg yolks.
75 g granulated sugar.

Preparation

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out of the pod. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla seeds and the pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse

2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time

4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.

5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)
By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

For this particular presentation

After the cake cooled, I used a square cookie cutter and cut out pieces. I then tempered some chocolate and used a plastic template to make the impressions. I surrounded the cake with the chocolate squares, added some berries and topped everything with a scoop of ice cream.

Enjoy!

Tuiles and Tartelettes

2009-01-30T16:08:00.016-05:00

This week has been a very busy one: hectic school mornings that makes you want to scream: "I don't want to go through this again!!" school meetings, classes, guests..... By the end of the day, the minute I put my head on my pillow I'm gone right away. Life has become so busy lately that I'm almost stealing time to be able to bake and barely finding enough time to take nice pictures. Honestly, I don't know how I could find time to make those tuiles for this month's daring bakers challenge. But, did I have a choice anyway??!!

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. At first, when I saw the month's challenge, I thought it was an easy one. Easy yet I had to find a way to make these tuiles look pretty, original and tasty. Tarts are among my favorite types of desserts to make. I love the fruity ones, with a light cream. SO, I thought about combining the two: tuiles and tarts. The result was unbelievably delicious : crunchy, creamy and sweet . The addition of all extra components made the tuiles taste richer. I put a layer of dark chocolate on the tuiles to avoid sogginess, followed by a Crème mousseline for the plain ones and a chocolate mousse for the chocolate ones.

This recipe is easy especially when you make things ahead. Many of the components could be made earlier. The tuile batter can be made and kept in the fridge for up to a week and the creme mousseline can also be made up to 3 days before, just add the heavy cream before using.
Although this challenge was made under very stressful circumstances, it turned out a pretty tasty one (which I didn't expect by the way). Tuiles are very versatile after all!!

Tuiles en Tartelettes

Tuiles

65 grams softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams sifted confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams sifted all purpose flour
1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
Dark and white chocoalte melted

Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil. In this case I used a stencil that I cut out using a plastic cap (big yogurt box).
Divide the batter into 2 big parts and one small. keep one part plain, add coco to the other one and color the small part into any desired color.
Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Use the colored batter to make decorations.

Bake the tuiles for for 5 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Immediately after removing them from the oven, place the round "tuiles" into the muffin pan and shape until you form a sort of cup. This step should be done one tuile at a time. If the tuiles get hard (they will very fast) put them back in the oven for few seconds and repeat. Let the cups cool.

Once cooled, brush the interior of the cups with the melted chocolate. Use white chocolate for the plain ones and dark chocoalte for the chocolate ones. Put the cups in the fridge help the chocolate set.

Chocoate Mousse

100 g dark chocolate
1/2 sheet gelatin
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt the chocoalte over double boiler. Meanwhile, soften the gelatin in cold water. Add the soften gelatin to the melted chocolate. Mix until smooth. Se aside to cool a little bit.
whip the cream and fold it into the chocolate ( be careful not to fold the whipped cream when the chocolate is still warm otherwise the cream will melt)

Crème Mousseline:

Creme mousseline is a basic pastry cream enriched with whipped cream.

1 cup whole milk (don't use low fat versions please)
2 egg yolks
40 g granulated sugar
30 g corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch and mix until well combined. Gradually, add the hot milk. Put the mixture back in the pan and cook, stirring continuously (not the time to answer the phone!) until it thickens. Off heat, stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature then into the fridge for up to 2 days.
When ready to use, whip the cream and fold it into the COLD pastry cream.

Preparation of the tarts

Fill the cups with either the creme or the mousse decorate with berries, chocolate curls and enjoy!

Almond Surprises

2009-01-19T09:10:00.009-05:00

What can I say about Algerian cookies: beautiful, extremely tasty, rich, distinctive and definitely different from any other cookie you've ever seen or tasted. There are many different types of cookies depending on the region. Algeria is a big country (the 2nd largest in Africa) with so many different cultural and culinary traditions. But most of these delicacies originate from the capital Algiers. I don't know exactly where all these cookies are originally from (may be some Turkish influence), but they sure are delicious looking and tasting. Most of these cookies are made with almonds and some other nuts (walnuts, pistachios...). Sometimes made entirely with nuts and others include an outer layer of different types of doughs. The main flavorings are orange blossom water or rose water and citrus (lemon). Sometimes we add vanilla for extra flavor.

These particular cute little ones are called "The bride's Package" I'm not sure though if "package" is the right word. I couldn't find the direct translation. In Algeria, the bride would get a big basket full of different things brought by the groom or the groom's family. They would bring this basket (pink or white usually) and show it on the wedding day to all the guests ( I know it sounds weird!). I always found it very funny when they start to grab the stuff (shoes, handbags, perfumes...etc), say the name of the object and show it to everybody. I am not sure if they're still doing it to this day but I bet some regions are.

The cookies are made with a very simple dough, rolled out very thinly. You can color the dough whichever way you want, make different colors, strips...etc. They are then rolled out all together. After the dough is rolled out (using a pasta machine), it is cut into circles. A ball of filling is put in the middle of the circle then closed to form a surprise like package. They are then cooked and plunged in an orange blossom simple syrup or honey.

I'll try to explain this recipe as clearly as I can which is kind of hard without any illustration. while I'm working, especially with recipes that require a bit of attention, I cannot handle the camera. I have an issue concentrating on two different things I guess! But if you read the recipe and still have questions don't hesitate to ask, I would be more than happy to help.

Almond Surprises Courtesy "Algerian Heritage" :)

Dough (Outer layer)

note I'm using a "measure" which means use the same cup to measure the different ingredients. Could be a cup, 1/2 cup....etc. For instance if you use the "1/2 cup" you would need a 1/4 cup of the clarified butter. Also, I usually use the food processor to make the dough.

3 measures all purpose flour
1/2 measure clarified butter
pinch of salt
1 measure orange blossom water

In a bowl, mix the flour, clarified butter and salt. Work the ingredients between your hands until crumbly. Start adding the orange blossom water slowly until you get a dough. It shouldn't be very soft. Add enough water to make a dough that is not sticky. If using the food processor, follow the same instructions. Divide the dough into balls and color each one with the desired food coloring. It takes some time for the color to get incorporated in the dough, just keep working the dough with your hands and be patient! Keep the dough balls in a ziploc bag and let them rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Almond Filling

300g ground blanched almonds
180g powdered (confectioner) sugar
1 large egg
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients until you form a dough. It shouldn't be sticky to the touch. Form into a walnut size balls and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Orange blossom & Lemon Syrup

2 cups granulated sugar
5 cups water
1/4 cup orange blossom water
2 TBsp lemon juice
Lemon peels from 1 large lemon

In a sauce pan, mix the sugar, water and the lemon peels. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Off heat add the orange blosoom water and the lemon juice. Cover and let completely cool. The syrup should be cold when used.

Preparation of the cookies

Prepare your pasta machine. If you don't have one, you could use a rolling pin, but I don't think the result will be the same since we want the dough to be very thin. Plus, the machine makes the work much easier and faster.
If you want the cookies to be just one color (like the pink ones I made) there won't be too much work to do, you would put the dough through the machine and roll it out on the thinner setting.
If you want the multi colored stripped dough, here is what you would do: make strips out of the different colored doughs. Stuck the strips by alternating the colors. Make sure they are well glued to each other, you could use some water to make them stick (go easy on the water please!). Start rolling the strips on the medium thickness of the machine, then roll it again on the thinnest setting. while you're rolling and working, use some corn starch to make the dough dry out a little bit. Spread some corn starch on your work surface and lay the rolled out dough. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, then cut out circles about 5 inches in diameter. Let the circles dry out another 5 minutes.
Put in the middle of each circle of dough a ball of filling and close the whole thing gently to form a
surprise package or some kind of a basket. Press gently so the dough in the middle stick well and won't open up during baking. Be careful not to press hardly otherwise the dough will get cut and the filling will come out during baking.
finish making all the cookies and arrange them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Let the cookies sit for at least an hour before baking. The more they sit the better they will keep their shape while baking.
Bake the cookies in a 320 f preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. They shouldn't get brown at all to keep their nice color. As soon as they come out of the oven, plunge them in the cold syrup. Let them soak the syrup for 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange the cookies on a cookie rack with a baking sheet underneath it to drain the excess syrup.

Note: You can use Honey thinned with orange blossom water instead of the simple syrup. Just heat the honey and orange blossom water and let the mixture cool. The consistency of the honey should be like a simple syrup.

A New Year!

2009-01-02T16:28:00.013-05:00

A whole year had passed by and a new fresh one is already here! so many things happened, some good, and some not that good. Any resolutions? I'm not the kind of person who thinks about it that way. All I want is happiness and good health for my family. On the personal side, I just wish to be a better person, and avoid mistakes from the past. It is true that we learn a lot from our mistakes, and I did learn quite a lot from last year's ( I hope). Any wishes for this new year? hmmm.......for now may be a house with plenty of sunlight so I can take nicer pictures and a new camera lens........too much to ask for may be??!!

2008 was a year full of cakes, cookies, tasty pastries (and a lot of non tasty ones!). Since I've been addicted to flickr, I baked and baked ......and baked a lot! I found a good excuse to go, grab the mixer and bake something. And if baking alone wasn't enough for me, taking pictures has become an essential part of the whole process.

To start the year, I made a mousse cake. It has a layer of almond dacquoise, a light orange mousse, strawberries and a glaze made with raspberries and strawberries. It is a delicious cake, very light and refreshing. I think it is best for summer days, but in my family, we sure wouldn't mind enjoying it any time of the year.
The recipe is from "Here". I know.. it is a French site (sorry non French speaker!) I'll post the recipe some other time. I made some changes in the recipe though, I used oranges in the mousse instead of the grapefruit (I wish I had grapefruit on hand because I love the flavor of this fruit). The oranges worked well with the berries and the cake had a nice citrus flavor.

Voila, first post of the year, first cake of the year . I wish everyone a very happy new year, full of joy and good health.

My 1st Daring Bakers Challenge

2008-12-28T13:34:00.015-05:00

First Daring Bakers Challenge, and a challenging one! This month's challenge was brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from "Saffron and Blueberry" and Marion from "Il en faut pour etre heureux". They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from "Florilege Gourmand". I hadn't figure out until I was about to post this entry and by looking for the links, that the recipe comes from one of my absolute favorite pastry sites!! I have always admired Flore's work and her ability to explain the recipes in a simple and clear way. I tried many of her recipes and they are all perfect. She is good at what she does, and doing this challenge is more than an appreciation to all her efforts.

This Yule Log is an entremets like dessert. I must say that entremets are my favorite kind of desserts. I love them because of their different layers and textures. This particular one has 6 different tasty layers: a chocolate mousse, a creme brulee insert, a praline crisp, a chocolate caramel ganache, a dacquoise and a chocolate glaze. I thought the final result would be very chocolatey, but it came out balanced and not too sweet. The creme brulee insert took this dessert to a whole new level (may be because I'm a creme brulee addict!). I never thought I could use a creme brulee inside a cake!

I pretty much followed the recipe and made very little changes (used a hazelnut dacquoise instead of an almond one). Everything in the recipe worked fine. The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the final glaze. It was OK until I added the gelatin or agar agar actually. As soon as the gelatin was added the mixture became grainy and lost its shine. I had to add boiling water to fix it but still the glaze didn't come out smooth and shiny, and since I added water the color became lighter, more like a milk chocolate glaze.
As you may have noticed also, I didn't exactly make a "yule log" but rather individual domes. I did this for 2 reasons:

1- I bought online a round yule log mold, was extremely excited about it and couldn't wait to get it. I've always wanted to own one and this challenge was a reason enough for me to order this pan.I waited patiently for days and days. Then after about 2 weeks, I thought something might be wrong with this order. I called the dealers and guess what: they said the product is out of stock and will be available on.............January 4th!! Wait wait wait, you cannot do this to me, I haven't even been notified about that!! I need this for my daring bakers challenge, why is this happening??!! I wished the whole thing was a nightmare but unfortunately it wasn't, I had to deal with the reality : I had to come up with another idea. I thought about using the loaf pan but wasn't excited about the shape. So, I ended up using small trifle pans. The shape didn't come out perfect, but I had no better choice.
2- The other reason was dealing with the size of the log. Using these small individual pans was better actually because they are perfect for two (I consider my self a "half human" actually because I eat so little!!). I was wondering before making the recipe who will eat this huge dessert?? I was pretty sure I would take 2 or 3 bites and stop right there, so my husband will end up eating the whole thing!! no, not good! After all, the unfortunate "pan" story wasn't that depressing.
Overall, this first experience was fun and a tasty one and although the recipe seems complicated, it truly isn't. Now, I can't wait for the next challenge!

Lemon Shortbread

2008-12-17T16:39:00.008-05:00

Another great recipe from "Tartine", my new favorite cookbook. My prior post was about a recipe from this book also : Gingerbread cookies, and they were delicious. I feel very happy when I find a good cookbook, and excited about trying all of its recipes! People who worked on this book did a wonderful job and deserve a big: Thank you!

I don't know what are the origins of shortbread but I guess every country has its own version. In Algeria we have something similar called "Ghribia". Very tender, melt in your mouth cookies made into different shapes (pyramid shape happens to be the most popular) and decorated with an almond. Some versions have ground almonds or peanuts in the dough. The way these cookies are made is a little different from the "American" shortbread but both have almost the same taste and texture.

The original recipe didn't call for lemon zest nor vanilla, but I added some for extra flavor. Shortbread is so rich and the lemon zest adds a hint of freshness and lightens up these cookies.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies (Adapted from "Tartine")

1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft.
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour.
1/2 cup +2 tbsp cornstarch.
1/4 tsp salt (reduced from the original 1/2 tsp).
Zest of 1 lemon.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1/4 cup superfine sugar for topping.

Preparation

1- preheat the oven to 325. Butter a 6-by-10 inch baking pan.

2- Place the butter, the 1/3 cup of sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.

3- Sift the flour and cornstarch. Add to the butter mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.

4- Pat the dough evenly into the baking dish and bake until the top in lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool the shortbread until warm to the touch.

5- Sprinkle the shortbread with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cut into rectangles. If the cookies have become cold they will not slice well, so try to cut them while still warm. chill thoroughly before removing from the baking dish.

Honey Cake

2008-12-14T21:04:00.014-05:00

I still remember very well the first time I tasted this cake, more than fifteen years ago. My aunt H. brought the recipe and it was a big hit since then. The whole family, aunts, cousins......everybody loved it. They even served it in some family weddings. Although I made this cake endless times, and tasted others as well, aunt H. is still the one who makes it best. Her honey cake has a unique flavor and texture.

What is special about this cake -besides being incredibly good- is the way it's made. Unusual and Very easy method, no need for a mixer or any fancy schmancy material. All you need is a pan and a wooden spoon! Its baking time is relatively fast too. The only thing that is a bit "time consuming" is the making of the pastry cream. I usually make it the night before. I sometimes make this cake just because I have leftover pastry cream.

I personally like cakes that have different textures, and this one has it all: sweet tender biscuit layers with a smooth fluffy vanilla pastry cream in between. Topped with a layer of dark chocolate to balance the sweetness, plus some crunch from the crushed almonds. It is a cake worth a try and once you make it I am sure it will be one of your favorites.

Honey Cake

150 g unsalted butter.
100 g granulated sugar.
1/4 cup honey.
1 large egg.
3 Tbsp whole milk.
1 tsp baking soda.
1 tsp vanilla extract.
400 g all purpose flour.
1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/4 tsp salt.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk.
1 large egg.
4 egg yolks.
70 g granulated sugar.
60 g corn starch.
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract.
70 g soft unsalted butter.

Final Touches

100 g dark chocolate, melted.
Crushed toasted almonds.

Preparation

1- Preheat the oven to 375 f. Butter a 16 1/2 by 11 1/2 baking sheet. Set aside.

2 -In a sauce pan combine the butter, sugar, honey, milk, egg and baking soda. Cook over medium low heat stirring constantly until all the butter is melted. Strain the mixture in a bowl and set aside.

3- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches. At first you can use the wooden spoon to mix, then you'll have to use your hands because the dough will become harder. The final dough should be smooth and not sticky. If the dough feels sticky after all the flour is added, add more flour a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency. But remember not to over work the dough or you will end up with a tough cake instead of a light flaky one.

3- Press the dough on the baking sheet. Using your hands, flatten it as evenly as you can all the way to the sides of the pan. Prick the dough and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cookie rack.

Pastry Cream Preparation

1- Heat the milk over medium heat.
2- In a sauce pan, combine the egg, egg yolks, sugar and corn starch. Whisk until smooth.
3- Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture. Cook the cream over medium low heat until it thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. As soon as it starts to bubble remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
4- Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. To avoid a thick layer from forming on top of the cream, the plastic wrap should touch the top of the cream. Let the cream cool completely. If not using the same day, the cream should be well kept in a container and refrigerated . It can keep for 4 to 5 days.
5- When the cream is completely cool, add the soft butter and mix until light and fluffy (I use my hand held mixer for that).

Cake Assembly

1- Cut the cake vertically into 3 equal parts, about 5 inches each.
2- Spread the cream between each layer. You'll have 3 layers of cake and 2 of cream.
3- Cover the cake with the melted chocolate and decorate with the crushed almonds.
4- Cut the cake into 2 by 1 inch rectangles or into squares.

It is preferable to let the cake sit for an hour or 2 before cutting. This cake actually tastes better the following day. It can keep for a day in a cool dry place and should be put after that in the fridge.

Gingerbread experience

2008-11-03T19:54:00.006-05:00

I bought a new cookbook that I adore, called "Tartine". Wonderful is the least I can say about it. I tried four recipes already and they all turned out good. I rarely experience this with cookbooks. I had this same impression with Jacques Torres cookbook "Dessert Circus". I can't say more than the author name! just mentioning the name tells it all!!
So, the book had these wonderful looking soft gingerbread cookies. When I looked at the picture I couldn't resist but try them. I never tried gingerbread cookies before, I had absolutely no idea what they taste like, plus I have a small issue with the smell of ginger, a bit too strong for me. Yet, I needed to give this recipe a try, and boy did they taste incredible! soft, just the right amount of spices and that glaze on top, yum!
I did made small, tiny small changes in the recipe (so me). It called for ground cloves, which I didn't have on hand, so I used some ground allspice. The recipe also called for ground pepper and I didn't add that, I was somehow scared of the result. I never used black pepper in any of my desserts.
This cookie is definitely a keeper. I don't know why, but I always felt that anything involving ginger was somehow healthy! these cookies are definitely not, but very tasty and worth a try.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies (From cookbook "Tartine")
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1 cup (2 sticks) soft unsalted butter
3/4 granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 Tbsp light corn syrup.

Glaze
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 Tbsp water

Preparation

1- Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the soft butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the molasses and corn syrup and ,ix until well incorporated.

3- Add the dry ingredient and beat on low speed until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight (surprise, surprise!!)

4- Preheat the oven to 350 f. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

5- Unwrap the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/3 inch thickness. You can leave the dough as it is or use a patterned rolling pin (like I did) so you get the nice patterns on the cookie. Place the dough as it is on the baking sheet and cook until golden brown on the edges. Let cool while you make the glaze.

6- Mix the sugar and water until smooth.

7- Cut the cookies into rectangles or squares. Using a brush, apply a thin layer of glaze and let dry. These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Pistachio & Banana Mini Cakes

2008-10-15T16:04:00.026-04:00

I know it takes me years to post a new recipe, and I apologize for all of you who are following my blog and may be wondering why am I such a lazy blogger??!! I am "lazy" when it comes to writing and posting. I essentially created this blog mainly because people were asking for recipes on my flickr page, and my answer would be: soon .............on my blog! I ,hopefully, will be more serious and post more often. This post didn't help get me back on track, I almost gave up. I had so much trouble getting it all together. I wrote it may be 5 or 6 times and kept losing the whole work after adding a link. I gave up the link- obviously- and ended up frustrated! writing always drives me nuts!! Grrrrrr.....
Speaking about nuts, I need to mention couple things regarding this recipe. First, I am not a big fan of banana bread. I only make it when I have ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter for days. The cake itself is good and I think banana bread lovers will like it. BUT, the issue is in the "nuts". I discovered lately that I'm no fan of nuts in cakes anymore. I don't like when they become soggy when mixed and cooked with any kind of batter. So, I left their addition optional and let you decide!

Pistachio & Banana Mini Cakes (or 1 large loaf/cake)

100g butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

4 medium bananas (preferably ripe), pureed

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Pinch of salt

1/2 to 1 cup chopped pistachios mixed with a tablespoon of flour

Preparation

1- Preheat the oven to 350 f. Butter and flour a large loaf pan or ramekins (you need a lot of those if you're making the full recipe)

2- Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the melted butter, oil and the pureed bananas. Mix until well combined.

3- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and the salt. Mix the milk and lemon juice. Set aside.

4- Add the dry ingredients mix to the wet one alternating with the milk. Fold in the chopped nuts

5-Bake until a toothpick inserted inside the cake(s) comes out clean. For the large loaf pan it will take between 50 and 55 minutes. The smaller ones, approximately 20 minutes. Cool before enjoying!

Date & Walnut Cake

2008-09-25T16:56:00.016-04:00

I have always been skeptical about a cake made with dates. Although I love to eat dates, I just couldn't imagine this fruit being one of the main ingredients in a cake. However, we do have many traditional cookies made with dates. I come from a country where dates are a very popular fruit. In fact, Algeria is known for a variety of dates that is so unique and delicious. It is called "Deglet Nour" or "Nour's dates" also known as "The queen of dates". It is very sweet and tender, but what makes it unique is the fact that it is so transparent that you can see the pit from outside. I, so far, didn't see any other type of dates that has this criteria. I've seen some "supposedly" deglet Nour sold in the US, but I am always disappointed. It doesn't taste like the real thing at all!

After this short lesson about Algerian dates history, let's talk about this cake, shall we? Since I never made a date cake, I had to look for a recipe. At my surprise, there were tons of them. Sure, they had all some points in common, but as always, just by reading a recipe, I could figure out that something might be wrong: too much sugar, too little butter...etc so I ended up creating my own recipe! and It came out perfect just the way I expected: perfect sweetness, very moist and full of flavor. It's been a while I didn't make a cake and ate more than half of it! yes, it is that good!

Date and Walnut Cake

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup boiling water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 egg
5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1- Preheat the oven to 350 f. butter an 8 in cake pan and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Butte the parchment paper too. Set aside.

2- Sift together the flours, salt and baking powder. Remove 1/3 cup of this mixture and mix it with the walnuts. Set aside.

3- Put the chopped dates in the boiling water. Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium low heat. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Set aside to cool.

4- Beat the egg with sugar, vanilla and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add the date mixture and mix until well combined.

5- Add the flour, butter and walnuts to the egg mixture and fold gently until evenly combined. Bake until a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Set aside to cool before enjoying!

Baking Dilemma

2008-09-05T11:57:00.031-04:00

I think I must seek help because I can't resist this recuring temptation of throwing my head into one baking experience after another!!!! I am afraid I would wake up one morning and find my hands turned into whisks! or my hair into strings of vanilla beans!! actually that one would save me a lot of money! Hmmm, since the "vanilla bean" subject surfaced and since I have some that's been in my pantry for a while, I wonder what is the best way to enjoy and get the most flavor out of a vanilla bean? I am thinking may be a custard, or....oh one of my favorite indulgences : Crème Brûlée! don't be intimidated by the fancy name, it is one of the easiest yet chic desserts. It is basically a rich custard topped with a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar. An intoxicatingly delicious combination of smooth silky custard and a crunchy sweet topping. Well, I guess I just found another excuse to grab my whisk.

Vanilla Bean Crème brûlée (serves 6)

2 cups heavy cream

50 g granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation

1- Preheat your oven to 325 f.

2-Heat the cream and the vanilla over medium heat .

3- Beat the yolks and the sugar until pale in color. whisk in about 1/2 cup of the cream . Gradually add the remaining cream whisking vigorously. Strain the brûlée base through a fine mesh sieve. Pour the custard in the ramekins.

4- Cook the custard in a water bath: pour some boiling water into the pan and place your ramekins inside (pour enough water to come up half way on the sides of the ramekins). Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes. To test for doneness, jiggle the pan slightly to see if the custard is set. Remove and let cool at room temperature then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

5- Once the Crème brûlée has cooled, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of sugar over each ramekin and using a blowtorch, caramelize the sugar to form a candy coating.

Enjoy! with moderation it's pretty rich

Tartes Aux Fruits - Fruit Tarts

2008-09-04T16:33:00.024-04:00

I've been baking for as long as I can remember. This passion started since I was a child. I remember my first experience in the kitchen, I made an apple sauce and was so excited! and my first cake experience was a DISASTER. I was 8 or 9 years old, made the cake batter who was a "normal, liquidish type of cake batter" (I bet the cake could have been a successful one !!!) but I thought to myself "how can a mess like this turn into a cake" So guess what I did?? I threw the batter in the bathroom and warned my younger brother who was watching my adventurous catastrophe "If you tell mom, your sister will turn into the evil sister"......euh that's a tactic I used to trick him with, poor kid!
So, you can imagine how passionate I've always been (and always will) about baking. What you cannot imagine is that I don't eat a lot of sweets, unbelievable but true! I love to create, decorate, temper, assemble, beat, fold, any term you can imagine in the pastry world, but when it comes to consuming, I am very picky and have limited and specific preferences and the first thing that comes on top of my list is fruit tarts. My list may include also: tiramisu, fraisier, clafoutis....well I should write down a list but let's just keep this for another post :)

I make my fruit tarts with either a Pâte Brisée or a Pâte Sucrée (sweet dough) , it really depends on the filling and the type of fruit used. A fruit tart should have a balance in sweetness between its three major components : the crust, the cream and the kind of fruits used. I also lighten my pastry cream by adding some whipped cream which, not only gives it a more airy texture, but also enriches its flavor. Yes, everything is better with cream.................and butter!

Recipe for one 9-in tart or four individual 4-in tarts

Pâte Brisée (crust)

250 g all purpose flour
125 g cold unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

To make the dough, use either a food processor, a mixer or a bowl and the best tools : your hands! Combine all the ingredients except the water. Work the mixture until crumbly. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until you form a dough. It is very important not to over work the dough otherwise your crust will shrink in the oven and you will not have that light, flaky kind of crust. wrap the dough and chill for at least 30 mn. This step can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Just wrap the dough well and keep it in the fridge.

Pastry Cream

1 cup whole milk (don't use low fat versions please)
2 egg yolks
40 g granulated sugar
30 g corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch and mix until well combined. Gradually, add the hot milk. Put the mixture back in the pan and cook, stirring continuously (not the time to answer the phone, yeah yeah I know baking requires a lot of sacrifice) until it thickens. Off heat, stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature then into the fridge for up to 2 days.
When ready to use, whip the cream and fold it into the COLD pastry cream.

Preparing the tart shells

Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the dough from the fridge and if it got too hard, let it sit for about 15 minutes. Flour your work surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4 in thickness. I like my crust pretty thin.
Arrange the dough on the mold (s) of your choice. Pick the entire surface of the dough with a fork and layer a piece of foil on top of it. Fill the foiled pan with beans. This will help the crust keep its nice shape.
Cook the crust for 10 minutes then remove the foil (and the beans!) and continue baking until lightly brown. Cool completely before filling.

Tart Assembly

Fill each tart with the cream and your choice of fruits. In this particular one, I used : strawberries, figs, pineapple and mango. Use any type of glaze to make the tarts look shiny: fruit glaze, apricot jam...etc. This is optional though.

Enjoy!

Gourmandises!

2008-08-15T22:37:00.028-04:00

Macarons are these cute French almond cookies that come in different flavors and colors and make everyone goes:" WOW! I want one!". I remember when I made my first macarons here They look funny, don't they!?? the color looks odd and they are too fat! but over all I was quite happy with my result as a first attempt, ehm ehm!!!
The thing with macarons is that you either like them or hate them. but honestly who can resist those cute friandises??..........my hubby does, he always tells me "what!?? you made them .....again??? they are too sweet! " It is true that they are sweet, and I haven't come across a recipe that uses less suagr than this recipe, but the thing is macaons are so flavorful that you don't need to eat a ton! have them with coffee or tea, just find a reason to eat them!!

If you ask me what is the perfect macaron? I honestly don't know. I never had macarons other than mine, so - according to "me" - a macaron should Not be too flat nor too fat (like my first catastrophic attempt!). I personally prefer them on the flat side because usually they'll be filled and sandwiched so we don't want a cookie that is as high as the empire state building. Also, it has to be chewy on the inside, but again not undercooked,and should be slightly crunchy on the outside. Finally, the top of the cookies should come out shiny, not grainy or cracked.
Voila, I think that should be the "A B C's" of macarons. Oh! I almost forgot that one of the most important thing to remember when making macarons is the OVEN TEMPERATURE. They should cook in a low oven, no more than 325 f.
after so much talking, I know you can't wait to check the recipe. I used in mine half almonds and half hazelnuts but you can use only almonds and omit the coco if you want other flavors.I also used hazelnut praline in the filling which is basically a cooked caramel and nut that is cooled and ground to a powder. I have to mention that if you are expecting a very chocolaty macarons, you should look for another recipe! or stick with this one and add more coco!

Chocolate hazelnut Macarons

Macarons batter
100 g egg whites (some recipes require 1 day or 2 day old whites. whenever I have leftover whites I use them for that, otherwise I just use fresh ones and they both work fine)
200 g powdered sugar.
65 g ground blanched almonds.
60 g ground hazelnuts.
30 g granulated sugar
20 g coco.

Ganache filling
150 g dark chocolate
75 g heavy cream
4 tablespoons hazelnut praline

Preparation

1- Preheat the oven to 320 f. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2- In a food processor, combine the ground almonds, ground hazelnut and powdered sugar. Mix until you get a thin powder. Remove from the bowl, add the coco and Sift the mixture. Set aside.
3- Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peak. Gradually, add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until the mixture becomes shiny. At this point, you add the desired food coloring (if using).
4- Sift the dry ingredients over the egg whites in 3 steps. fold the mixture until shiny. Do not over mix.
5- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round 1/2 inch tip with the batter and pipe evenly the cookies leaving 2 inches between them. Let the cookies rest for about 20 minutes.
6- Cook the macarons for 12 to 15 minutes. Let them cool before filling with the ganache.

Ganache Filling
1- Finely chop the dark chocolate and put in a bowl.
2- Heat the cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes then whisk it gently until smooth and shiny. Let the ganache cool a little bit then add the praline.

Clafouti

2008-08-14T15:05:00.012-04:00

I must say that I am not a big fan of clafouti nor blueberries. I tried making clafouti couple times and every time I got disappointed. I either don't like the texture of the clafouti itself, or the cooked fruits. However, this time, it came out different and quite tasty. I actually loved the taste of the cooked blueberries and the clafouti didn't taste too "eggy". Plus, I added some orange zest since I didn't have any lemons on hand. I actually prefer the orange-blueberry combo better.

Recipe

4 large eggs
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour (if you want it more cakey use a whole cup)
2 cups blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp orange zest
Pinch of salt

Preparation

1- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 8 ramekins with cooking spray and arrange some blueberries on each of them. Set aside.
2- Mix the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla and orange zest.
3- Sift the flour and salt over the wet ingredients and mix until evenly combined.
4- Pour the mixture over the blueberries. Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet.
5- Bake the clafoutis for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden. sprinkle with confectioner sugar and enjoy warm or cold!